I got there about 2 hours early and was second there. Many people showed before the doors opened and left me hopeful for a good turnout. The opening band was some local hardcore bullshit that shouldn’t have been opening. Black Anvil started the show off right. There sound was intense and almost progressive sounding for black metal. They did play an Emperor cover at the end but otherwise I don’t have a setlist for them.
Goatwhore was next. Even though this is my fourth time seeing them, it was still fast and furious and full of headbanging, fist pounding metal. They always seem to pull out a few good older songs to change up their setlist.

Setlist
This Passing Into the Power of Demons
Provoking The Ritual Of Death
All the Sins
Razor Flesh Devoured
Alchemy Of The Black Sun Cult
Carving Out the Eyes of God
In The Narrow Confines Of Defilement
The Black Art of Deception
In Legions, I Am Wars Of Wrath
The All-Destroying
Apocalyptic Havoc

After Goatwhore you could immediately start to smell something foul in the air and you knew Watain was getting ready. They brought out real stinking carcasses of dead animals and hung them on the candle holders so the smell would get all around the venue. They used some incense but that only seemed to intensify the smell of the rotten flesh. When they hit the stage is was like being at my first concert. They had such power and intensity that I couldn’t actually believe I was watching this amazing band live. They changed the setlist and gave us a selection of every album and each was magnificent as the last.

I got there during Black Anvil, they were a song or two in. They were pretty good, sounded great as a three piece. I don't know any of their stuff though. I immediately started shooting photos so I wasn't that focused on listening to the band; rather, I heard them, if that makes any sense. Anyways they were enjoyable.

Goatwhore were next. After the first two songs, my brother took the camera and I'm glad he did, because I got up front, right in front of the huge speaker, and started headbanging and screaming along. I naturally paid attention this time. Ben Falgoust is actually one of my favorite frontmen in metal. He has a great stage presence, too. He looked at me approvingly a bunch of times too as I was rocking out. He fist-bumped me as well I was planning to go up and say hi after their performance, but I didn't see him at the merch table
Anyways, they were awesome. Sounded amazing, and they had a kick-ass setlist as well.

Earlier I had been smelling something absolutely despicable; I assumed it was cigarettes But as Watain was setting up, I realized that i was smelling rotting carcasses, as part of their stage shows. Either Watain had roadies (which wouldn't surprise me), or the members had set up their equipment themselves then went backstage and put on their corpsepaint quickly before they got on. That would make sense- it was a long wait, after all.
I was on the side of the stage and suddenly the Watain members walked on stage right next to me all decked out in wicked corpsepaint. It was surreal, being that close. Creepy, but in a definitely good way. I should've taken pics of them at that moment, but thought it would be rude as I was 2 feet away from them. I'm not fucking paparazzi. Besides, the shots wouldn't have turned out good.

As with Black Anvil, I was paying more attention to the photo-taking than the music. I thought Watain sounded good live, but what do I know? I ask this partly because my brother, being a Watain fan, thought they sounded horrible and choreographed. In fact, I can't stand Watain on record. But then why did I go, right?

This was a project for my Advanced Digital Photography class at school. I was trying to emulate a certain photographer, Peter Beste. He went to Norway and took intimate pics of the famous black metal musicians there- Gaahl, Nattefrost, etc. I wanted to go backstage and take intimate pics of the Watain members with their corpsepaint on and stuff, but I was not allowed backstage access. I figured that I could just zoom in on their faces while they were playing though. Not as easy as that may seem. I got great live pics, for sure, but only a few that actually shows the corpsepaint to a great extent.

Anyway I'll post pics later. I won't post all of them, obviously- I can only use 10, anyway, and I took 434 That shouldn't be hard, though- I took a SHITLOAD of shitty pics. Black Anvil hadn't really prepared me well- Watain had much different stage lighting, so it was not the same at all.

I missed this concert when it came to Van, Ozzy/Halford ended up being on the same night. Sounds like it was a blast Goatwhore are always awesome live. Closing with Apocalyptic Havoc is pretty cool. Watain's show sounds unreal!!!! Im suprised they could have carcass's on stage. Now if only Jeff Walker and Bill Steer had done that.. hm?